Wolfle, T. L. 2005. Environmental enrichment. ILAR Journal 46(2), 79-82.
Summary of a collection of articles pertaining to the topic of environmental enrichment.
Smith, M., Barley, J., Down, N. et al. 2005. Catching animals who have escaped from their primary enclosure: A discussion by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Animal Technology and Welfare 4(1), 41-44.
Capturing rodents, nonhuman primates and birds who have escaped from their primary enclosure does not need to be a chaotic event and does not necessitate the use of stress-inducing, possibly injurious methods in most cases...
Weed, J. L., Raber, J. 2005. Balancing animal research with well-being: Establishment of goals and harmonization of approaches. ILAR Journal 46(2), 118-128.
A resource is provided for the creation of an institutional program that balances the scientific mission of an institution with the well-being of the animals used in support of the research. The concept of harmonizing...
Obernier, J. A., Baldwin, R. L. 2006. Establishing an appropriate period of acclimatization following transportation of laboratory animals. ILAR Journal 47(4), 364-369.
Stress associated with transportation has widespread effects on physiological systems in laboratory animals, including changes in the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, central nervous, and reproductive systems. Although short-lived, these changes can confound research if animals are...
Roberts, S., Van Loo P., Schultz, P. et al. 2006. Stress and distress: A discussion by the Refinement and Enrichment Forum. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(2), 99-102.
The question was asked: "The terms 'stress' and 'distress' are often used in the scientific literature but usually without a definition. If you use these terms, how do you define them? What are the signs...
Van Loo, P., Skoumbourdis, E., Reinhardt, V. 2006. Postsurgical pairing: A discussion by the Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(1), 17-19.
Our experience-based discussion suggests that social animals benefit from compatible companionship during post-operative recovery. The traditional practice of keeping animals alone in an unfamiliar environment after surgery increases the subjects surgery-associated stress. Providing a familiar...
Abney, D., Conlee, K., Cunneen, M. et al. 2006. Human-animal relationship in the research lab: a discussion by the Refinement and Enrichment Forum. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(2), 95-98.
The question was asked: "Does the regular, affectionate interaction with adult animals help the subject overcome the fear of humans, and hence buffer the stress response to being handled during experimental procedures?" I think an...
Carbone, L. 2007. Examining scientific standards. Lab Animal 36(10), 41-43.
On the basis of this paper's conclusions (White et al., 1989), the USDA decreased their cage size requirements and removed the increased space requirement for breeding guinea pigs. How well did the study determine the...
Kolbe, K. 2007. Comparison between the American Animal Welfare Act and the German Law on Protecting Anima
The German law on animal protection might be more utilitarian than the American law. The legislators obviously tried to meet the needs of the animals. However, its poor definitions of main concepts such as pain...
National Research Council. 2008. Recognition and Alleviation of Distress in Laboratory Animals. The National Academies Press: Washington, DC, 136 pp.
The book focuses specifically on the scientific understanding of the causes and the functions of stress and distress, the transformation of stress to distress, and the identification of principles for the recognition and alleviation of...